Unfortunately you have to admit that you were actually gullible enough to fall for this nonsense.  I know more than a few people so afflicted.

The following news may not astonish many of you, but feel free to quietly claim your cut: The makers of Airborne, a line of popular herbal supplements that was marketed as a

While agreeing to reimburse customers for up to six purchases of Airborne products

If the stuff didn’t work, why would anyone make a second purchase let alone six?

Because people were sick for a week, took the product, then miraculously got all better.  Obviously it worked so they bought more.

According to the recent settlement agreement, people with valid claims will be reimbursed for the amount they spent on Airborne from May 2001 through November 2007 if they still have receipts. Consumers without receipts are eligible to receive money back for as many as six packages each, based on average retail prices of the products. Those prices range from $2.75 per box of Gummi lozenges to $10.50 per box for Airborne Seasonal.

http://thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/03/04/makers-of-airborne-settle-false-ad-suit-with-refunds/?hp

Heh heh heh, I seem to “remember” that I bought many, many boxes of the (what’s the priciest again?) oh yeah, Airborne Seasonal…...maybe I should ask for, ahem, a refund…..

Charybdis - 05 March 2008 02:39 PM

Because people were sick for a week, took the product, then miraculously got all better.  Obviously it worked so they bought more.

So if it worked, whats the problem?

Um…b/c most viral illnesses like colds only last for a week.  It runs it’s course, and it’s done.  So…you took the Airborne stuff for no reason.

Sharruma - 05 March 2008 04:04 PM

Charybdis - 05 March 2008 02:39 PM

Because people were sick for a week, took the product, then miraculously got all better.  Obviously it worked so they bought more.

So if it worked, whats the problem?

It didn’t work. That’s the problem.  The people taking it would have gotten better in about a week no matter what they took.  That’s why things like Airborne are such frauds.  They play on people’s lack of understanding.  Left alone, the virus that wreaks havoc on the body will run its course in a short time, but, since they take some “home” remedy, they then think that there is some sort of relationship between what they took and getting better.  Not so.

That’s how a lot of the “quack” remedies work.  Just look at all of the remedies for hiccups!  If any of them really worked, there wouldn’t be so many of them!

(..eats what really cures you….a hot from the oven choco chip cookie!...)

So they buy it, it doesn’t work but they think it works - Okay that sounds reasonable
They buy it again, it still doesn’t work
Yet they buy it a third a fourth and even a fifth and sixth time?

Even if they decided to give it another chance after it not working the second time and buy it a third time
why the fourth, fifth and sixth?

It doesn’t add up!

They buy it again because of faulty reasoning.  It goes like this:

I get sick.  I take Airborne.  I get better.

They don’t see it could better be said:

I get sick. I get better.

Um people are stupid.

I just find it amazing that people would buy it six times if it doesn’t work

Personally I never bother with medicines when I get a cold.

Sharruma - 05 March 2008 05:05 PM

I just find it amazing that people would buy it six times if it doesn’t work

Personally I never bother with medicines when I get a cold.

I know.  People with believe somereally crazy claims.

As for not taking anything when you a cold, according to my doc, that’s actually the best way.  He says that taking cold medice may help relieve some of your symptoms, but it actually prolongs the cold by several days.

Me personally, I have the distressing habit of quickly developing pneumonia when I catch a cold.  It has happen the last four years running….Yikes.

(...looks nervously around when people mention the word ‘cold’...)